Drinking fountain attachment



April 1969 c. G. MACKIE ETAL 3,438,577

DRINKING FOUNTAIN ATTACHMENT Filed April 28, 1967 United States Patent3,438,577 DRINKING FOUNTAIN ATTACHMENT Charles G. Mackie, Glen Ellen,and Gordon J. Rahr,

River Forest, 111., assignors, by Inesne assignments, to Milton Brav,Chicago, Ill.

Filed Apr. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 634,729 Int. Cl. E03c 1 02; F16k /00 US.Cl. 23925 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention comprisesa device suitable for mounting on a faucet or other water dischargemeans. It is provided with an adjustable member. In one position ofadjustment, that member permits normal flow of water through the faucet,the water being discharged from the device in the normal direction ofits discharge from the faucet without the device. In another position ofadjustment, the member causes a column of water to be directed upwardlyfor drinking. The device thus comprises an attachment for a conventionalfaucet by means of which water may be discharged in a directionconvenient for drinking when desired. It makes a drinking fountain ofthe conventional faucet for use at will.

An object of the invention is to provide an attachment for aconventional faucet or water discharge means to act as a convertingdevice to make the faucet a drinking fountain with a jet of waterdischarged in a direction suitable for drinking so that any conventionalfaucet may be used for drinking directly and without the necessity ofusing a glass or other receptacle.

Another object is to provide such a drinking fountain attachment withmeans to insure that the opening through which the stream of water fordrinking is discharged shall at all times except when in use bewithdrawn and protected from any foreign matter which might otherwisefall upon it if it were constantly exposed.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a faucet with the device of theinvention in place,

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of the device on an enlarged scaleshowing it in the non-discharging position,

FIGURE 3 is a section similar to FIGURE 2 showing the device in thedischarging position,

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through the device taken at line 44 ofFIGURE 2, with parts removed,

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the moving member removed from thehousing in which it is positioned when the device is in use, and

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the cap member which surrounds thespring in the assembled device.

Like numerals will be used to designate like parts in the followingdescription of the drawings.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the drinking fountain device is in position on afaucet. The faucet includes a connection 1, a housing 2, and acontrolling handle 3, by means of which the faucet is opened and closed.A spout 4 has a downwardly depending portion 5, to which the housing 6of the drinking fountain device is mounted.

The housing 6 is hollow, as shown in the figures, and is provided withan internally threaded opening 7, by means of which it may be engagedwith and mounted upon the faucet portion 5.

A central passage 8 is formed in the housing and communicates with alongitudinal or transverse bore 9. Two discharge passages 10, 10 extenddownwardly from the bore 9 to the lower open end which is internallythreaded at 11 to receive an aerator or other device which may bepositioned upon the housing.

3,438,577 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 The device includes a member 12 whichis mounted in the transverse bore, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Themember 12 is provided with an enlarged head portion 13 at one end,within which a water discharge passage 14 is formed. A relief groove 33is formed about the head 13 and in communication with the dischargepassage 14. The discharge passage 14 communicates at its inner end witha groove 15' to which water may flow from within the housing to thepassage 14 when the member 12 is in the position of FIGURE 3.-The member13 is also grooved at 1 6 to receive a sealing O-ring 17, as shown inFIG- URES 2 and 3.

Intermediate its ends, the member 12 is notched as at 18. At itsopposite end, it is provided with a threaded, preferably central, bore19 within which a screw 20 may be received. The head of the screw 20 ispositioned in a depression 21 formed in a cap 22 which is inwardlygrooved as at 23.

The housing 6 is provided with a depression 24 within which a sealingring 25 is positioned and a retaining ring 26 may be positioned againstthe sealing ring 25.

The housing 6 is also provided with a groove 27 within which a sealingring 28 is positioned, which is in contact with a retaining ring 29.

A spring 30 is positioned within the cap 22 and partially within thehousing 6. It bears against the retaining ring 29 at one end and itbears against an outward portion of the cap 22 at its other end. Thespring is biased to hold the member 12 and the cap which is attached toit in the position of FIGURE 2. The spring may be depressed however topermit movement of the controlling member 12 from the position of FIGURE2 to the position of FIGURE 3 to permit discharge of fluid from thefaucet and from within the housing outwardly through the opening. Thehousing preferably is provided with a raised member 31 which, as shownin FIGURES 2 and 3, extends into the groove 23 of the cap 22 andprevents its rotation.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows.

The device, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, is suitable for attachmentto a conventional faucet. Many faucets are threaded externally. In thatcase, the arrangement of FIGURES 2 and 3 may be screwed directly intoplace. Should the faucet be internally threaded, an adaptor may be used.The adaptor forms no part of the present invention and will not bedescribed. Such adaptors are readily available on the market today.

If desired, an aerator may be attached to the threads 11 so that thewater discharged from the faucet will be aerated as it leaves thehousing 6. Such aerators are very common and readily available on themarket. The form no part of the present invention and will not bedescribed. Such an aerator is indicated in FIGURE 1 at 32.

With the device in position as shown in FIGURE 1, it is available foruse as a drinking fountain. When the faucet is turned on by propermanipulation of the handle 3, water will fiow through the spout 4 and bedischarged from the housing in the normal downward direction. This willtake place because the spring 30 is biased to hold the movable member 12in the position of FIGURE 2. In that position, the unnotched part of themember 12 is in close contact with the sealing ring 25 and water cannotreach the groove 15 for discharge through the outlet passage 14. In thisposition also, the discharge end of the passage 14 is fully withdrawninto the housing 6 and is protected from contamination or any foreignmatter which might otherwise have fallen upon or into it had it been inthe exposed position.

When it is desired to use the device as a drinking fountain, pressure isapplied to the screw 20 or the cap 22. The spring is compressed to theposition of FIGURE 3 and the discharge opening 14 is moved to the openposi- (19 tion. Water then moves through the passage 8 and the notch 18into that portion of the housing 6 with which the groove communicates.Since the groove 15 communicates also with the outlet passage 14, waterflows from the groove to the passage 14 and outwardly through it. Thus,as long as the parts are maintained in the position of FIGURE 3, waterwill be discharged upwardly through the opening of the passage 14 and auser may move his lips close enough to drink the water as it movesoutwardly in a jet-like formation through the passage 14.

When pressure is no longer applied to the screw or the cap 22, thespring 30 is eifective to move the parts to the position of FIGURE 2 andthus to withdraw the opening of the passage 14 to the interior orprotected position of FIGURE 2. The device will remain in the positionof FIGURE 2 until positive pressure is applied to compress the springand to move the device to the open position.

The groove 33 serves to relieve pressure of liquid entrapped in thepassage 14 when the head 13 moves from the position of FIGURE 2 to thatof FIGURE 3. The groove 33 prevents what is called a spitting action asthe member closes.

The angular direction of the jet of water from the passage 14 may bevaried by loosening the screw 20 and rotating the part 12 until thepassage 14 is tilted to the right or left to the degree necessary togive the jet of water its desired direction.

The size and inclination of the notch 18 serves as a metering means. Assoon as the member 12 has been moved to the right from the position ofFIGURE 2 sutficiently to cause any part of the notch 18 to pass the O-ring 25, water will move into the groove 15. As the Water moves past theO-ring and the retaining ring 26, there is a baffling effect since thesemembers extend into the path of Water moving along the inclined bottomof the notch 18. The farther the movement of the member 12 is continued,the greater the clearance between the notch 18 and the O-ring 25. Hence,more water is discharged. In the full open position of FIGURE 3, themaximum clearance between the O-ring 25 and the notch 18 is provided. Bythis means, it is possible to vary the quantity of water dischargedthrough the oulet passage 14.

The member 12 does not completely block the passages 10. This is clearfrom FIGURE 4. Thus at no time is the movement of water from the passage8 through the passages 16 blocked. Whatever the position of adjustmentof the member 12, water will always discharge downwardly through thepassages 11} whenever the faucet has been opened by suitablemanipulation of the handle 3 which controls the valve mechanism in thefaucet.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it should be realized that there are many modifications,alterations and substitutions thereto within the spirit of theinvention.

We claim:

1. In combination in a drinking fountain attachment for faucets,

a hollow housing with a normal discharge outlet,

a movable member within said housing and shaped to provide a drinkingoutlet,

means biased to yieldingly hold said movable member in such positionthat the drinking outlet is wholly within said housing,

the movable member being adapted upon movement in one direction to bringthe drinking outlet into the open position for the discharge of watertherethrough.

2. The device of claim 1 characterized by the fact that the movablemember is provided with a reduced portion intermediate its ends.

3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that themovable member is provided with a water passage communicating with saiddrinking outlet.

4. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that saidyielding means comprises a spring positioned about said movable memberand bearing at one end thereagainst and at the other end against saidhousing.

5. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that saidhousing is threaded at each end.

6. The device of claim 1 characterized by the fact that said normaldischarge is directed generally downwardly and that said drinking outletis directed generally upwardly.

7. In combination in a drinking fountain attachment for faucets,

a hollow housing,

openings at each end thereof,

a transverse passage therethrough,

a movable member positioned in said passage for longitudinal movement,

a spring positioned about said movable member and bearing at one endagainst a portion of said housing and hearing at the other end against amember fixed to said movable member,

said movable member having a portion of reduced diameter intermediateits ends,

a first passage formed in said movable member and an outlet passageconnected with said first passage and extending to the exterior of saidmovable member,

said spring biased to move the movable member into such position thatthe outlet opening is withdrawn within the housing.

8. The device of claim 2 further characterized by the fact that thereduced portion has a notch with an inclined bottom of graduallyincreasing depth in a direction away from said drinking outlet whichacts as a water metering opening.

9. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that there isprovided about one end of the movable member a groove communicating withthe drinking outlet.

10. The device of claim 6 further characterized by the fact thatadjusting means are provided for fastening the movable member inadjusted position to adjust the angle of discharge of the drinkingfaucet.

11. The device of claim 2 further characterized by the fact thatbafiiing means are provided within the housing and along the path offlow to the drinking outlet, said baflling means being intermediate theinterior of the housing and the drinking outlet and being positionedabout said movable member.

12. The device of claim 2 further characterized by the fact the reducedportion is shaped to provide in connection with the housing a meteringopening to meter the quantity of liquid discharged.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,718 6/1923 Lord 251-353 X3,062,452 11/ 1962 Knight 23925 3,241,766 3/1966 Knight 23925 EVERETT W.KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

